Just then Sebastian stepped away from Jagger. He was standing in plain view of me. I held my breath. My combat boot was sticking out clearly in his sight line. Sebastian eyed it for what seemed like forever. Our cover was blown. I was unsure what he was going to do next.
"That's it--" Sebastian declared. He turned his attention away from my boot and stared in Jagger's direction. "I'm going to the Mansion."
"Now?" Jagger asked. "But we have to find out who--"
"You said it yourself. It could be anyone. We can make a clean sweep of this place later tonight. But right now I have to talk toAlexander."
Sebastian started to go.
"Hey, hold on," Jagger said, grabbing his arm.
I continued to breathe as shallowly as possible.
"If yougo--we'll all go," Jagger said. "Idon't want youto be the onlygood guyinthis situation."
"A trip to the Mansion?" Iheard Scarlet say.
I heard more giggles and voices as they went up the steps and out of the factory, then car doors shutting and two engines starting. When we heard the cars drive out over gravel, Alexander and I tiptoed up the steps and peered out of a window to make sure theyhad reallyleft and this wasn't a prank. The hearse was driving downthe bumpy road, followed bySebastian's Mustang. For a moment it stopped. Sebastianglanced back at the window where I was standing. He stared right up at me, sending horror-film-like shivers through my flesh. Then he turned away and drove off.
"Did yousee that?" Isaid toAlexander. He nodded and put his arm around me, relieved. Itried to catchmybreath,still nervous by our potentiallydangerous vampire encounter. I began to soak in the gesture of Sebastian's good deed.
"Sebastian maybe many things," I said. "But your best friend has still got your back."
Alexander and I went to the cemetery, where he cuddled me in his arms, trying to calm me down from our harrowing encounter, and we debated our next move. We sat together infront of his grandmother's monument,Alexander gently stroking my hair. It was still sinking in that he was so drawn to me in ways that most boyfriends aren't. He needed and craved me, thirsted for things about me that were onlyattractive to a vampire. Most girls at Dullsville High would be running away, but I was more attracted to him than ever.
Alexander had his arm around me but his thoughts were far away.
I could sense the ache he felt for the strain on his and Sebastian's relationship. If Becky and I were fighting--which hardly ever happened--we'd apologize within minutes. But they were guys. I was happy that Sebastian had the strength to talk to Alexander. Alexander was relieved to know that Sebastian made the attempt.
And we figured this much: Jagger planned to open a dance club for mortals and vampires in Dullsville, and Sebastian was going to be his partner.
"Do youthink Sebastianknows about the Covenant?"
Alexander shook his head. "He wouldn't be game for that."
"Evenunder their seducing powers?" Iasked.
"Well, maybe . . ."
"What do we do now?" Iasked.
"Iguess we have to stop them from making a CoffinClub here intown."
"Do we reallyhave to?" Iasked.
"Are youkidding? Whythe suddenchange of heart? Weren't youthe one trying to convince me that this could be dangerous?"
I sat up. "Ilove the CoffinClub."
"But it is full of underground vampires."
"What if this one wasn't? What if it was just full of the vampires we know?" Isuggested. "Jagger could still have a club and you and Sebastian would have a place to drink your Romanian smoothies."
"The vampires we know? You saw how my best friend acted. How are they going to be partying with a bunch of mortals?"
I wasn't sure. I only knew Iw anted the Crypt--a place I could dance in.
Closing the Crypt before it even opened meant I'd never even be able to experience the club at all. How ever, I didn't want the students of Dullsville to be in harm's way for my needs. There had to be a way to compromise.
"Maybe we canconvince him to openthe club just to mortals," I suggested.
Alexander thought. "Ithink it's a great idea. But Idon't think he'll go for that. He wants the Crypt to be like the Coffin Club. To be the king of bothworlds."
"Listen, Trevor's great at soccer. Youare great at painting.And Jagger? He's great at making clubs. He can do it."
"Yes, I know. But does he want to?"
"He's so misguided. He wants to be loved like youand Trevor. He reallydoes. He just doesn't see it because he was too busy trying to get revenge. But now that he's not? He could just be a success and popular owning and running this club for mortals."
"Again, Ithink that's a good idea--but youare talking about Jagger here."
"Alexander, I want this club. The CoffinClub is too far awayfor me to go to. Myparents have the countryclub. Billy has Math Club. I don't have anything."
"What about me? The Mansion?"
"I love hanging out withyouat the Mansion! Don't misunderstand me. But I'm prettyclose to having mykind of club.
A place for me to go to and have fun. I've never had a place like that anywhere."
"Well, youlike Hatsy's Diner," he encouraged playfully.
"I do, if Iwant a burger. But I want to dance. I want to move and be in the darkness."
Alexander had traveled to cities and clubs around the world.Althoughhe was a vampire, he'd been able to go to fun places that didn't see the light of day. I'd spent my life miserable in places where I didn't belong.
"But if we can convince Jagger to keep the vampires out and just let mortals in," I began, "then it can be a club like anyother.And there isn't a club anywhere near here for teens to party. I'm sure he'd get a crowd. It would be a win-winsituationfor him."
Alexander wasn't convinced.
"We'll have to persuade him that it's in his best interest to keep the club," I pressed.
"Are yougoing to tell him?" he asked with a coygrin.
"He's not going to listento me," I said. "But he'll listento you. He'd have to."
"Would he?"Alexander wondered. "Jagger and I have a truce. But further than that? I'm not sure that I could convince him to open his club anyway but the way he wants to."
I sighed. "But I fantasize about the Coffin Club. It was a wesome--the music of the Skeletons blasting against the walls. Those freakymannequins hanging from the ceiling. The coffinlid doors.And the secret dungeon."
"And Phoenix. . ."Alexander laughed.
"Yes, Phoenix," Isaid, recallingAlexander's purple-haired alter ego who convinced Jagger to keep the Dungeona secret. "Iwas crazyabout him as well. Not like you, Imean. But like you."